Thanksgiving, The Curse & the Coma
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I love the food, the family gatherings and most of all the memories.
My mom’s holiday was Thanksgiving, but when I moved to a larger condo, she passed the torch to me.
Mom would arrive on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving where she’d help me prepare, translation: we ordered Chinese food, set the dining room table and I’d pour her a J&B on the rocks; after, we’d settle in and watch a movie, me with my eyes closed.
The real excitement was the next morning, getting that big turkey in the oven, and hope that it would be cooked without a hitch. While this doesn’t sound like a big “ask for”, however, I discovered that I have a Thanksgiving poltergeist who occasionally makes an appearance. It’s true!
My very first Thanksgiving here was in 2006, and because I pretty much lived on microwavable, Amy’s frozen meals, it didn’t occur to me that five months later, I had never used my oven! Apparently, I should have followed the instructions because while preheating, I set off the smoke detectors. Yes, the instructions would have come in handy, but unfortunately they, along with the warranty papers, were IN THE OVEN, COOKING!
The second poltergeist Thanksgiving visit happened when I forgot to remove the bag of gizzards, (and who knows what else) that was stuffed into the cavity of the bird. Once again, I heard from the smoke detectors.
During the third poltergeist visit, the oven just stopped working!
Thanksgiving is a time for being thankful, and I was, for the wonderful neighbors who cooked the turkey for me!
By Thanksgiving, 2024 the poltergeist had upped their game when they managed to clog the pipes which forced water to backup into the kitchen sink. With no plumbers answering their phones, the kitchen water valve had to be shut off until the plumber could arrive on Friday!
Well, the good news was the oven was working, having been properly calibrated, the week before because I wasn’t taking any chances. The problem was I had the disgusting task of washing the 20 pound raw turkey in the shower!
So I would imagine by now you’re wondering what this holiday has to do with dogs or training, and as you know, I will digress…
The poltergeist curse aside, Thanksgiving is also a time for other excitement which includes an eating fest, lively, no politics allowed, conversations, watching football, and me testing my patience, which go by the wayside when the hounds are too busy greeting guests, sitting under the table, hoping that someone drops turkey, which they always do, and me uttering, “Beep-beep” to anyone getting in my way as I negotiate the space around the kitchen. My niece reminded, “Auntie, please use your words.” And I replied that the dogs know what “Beep-beep” means! Ugh, my patience.
And after dinner you will always see a guest, accompanied by an animal or two in a tryptophan coma!
Over the years, however, I’ve come to realize that for my animals, it’s less about scoring a few pieces of turkey scraps, and so much more about their high emotional state for most of the day, so when things settle, they collapse, coma-style.
This is something to remember, that dogs, similar to young children who become overwrought, need some space to decompress, especially around visitors.
As we approach the December holidays, remember holiday stress is also happening to your dogs. Take them out outdoors frequently to eliminate, especially right after guests arrive, give them a safe space so guests aren’t unwittingly stepping on them or feeding them something that would upset their delicate GI system, and perhaps after dinner, you can let them “interact” with the comatose relative on the sofa!
HAPPY TRAINING & ENRICHMENT
© Fran Berry CPDT-KA, UW-AAB all rights reserved 2025
